An Army officer and three more soldiers were wounded in an encounter with Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Sulu province on Monday afternoon.

Lt. Col. Gerry Besana, spokesperson of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) said, amid the intensified conduct of military operations, elements of the 32nd Infantry Battalion under the Joint Task Force Sulu engaged in an armed confrontation with more or less 50 members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) under Radullan Sahiron in Sitio Kan Apo Aluk, Panglayahan, Patikulat at 1:40 in the afternoon.

"Heavy skirmishes ensued, which resulted to the wounding of an army officer and three soldiers, while heavy casualties were reported on the enemy's side based on human intelligence," Besana said in a belated press statement.

According to Besana, all the wounded soldiers were promptly evacuated to Kuta Heneral Teodulfo Bautista Hospital and were immediately given medical attention.

"The Joint Task Force Sulu continues to intensify the conduct of offensives against the Abu Sayyaf to neutralize the remaining bandits,” Lt. Gen. Arnel Dela Vega, WestMinCom commander, said in the same statement.

“We extend our gratitude to the Local Government Unit and the populace for helping the government troops in fighting terrorism by means of giving information, thus, making it easier for us to neutralize the outlaws,” Dela Vega added. Hader Glang